Title: The New Girl
Summary: Tara moves to Sunnydale, and makes new friends and enemies. AU.
Author: SnoopyDancer (Jenn)
Disclaimer: Not mine. Joss owns them
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Stroke of Luck - Cordy was just getting way too annoying! I had to do something! And as for how the plan will turn out, you'll have to wait and see…
BWR - My thoughts exactly
Tarawhipped - (great name by the way!) I always thought that Tara and Faith would make good friends. Oh, and yes, I did mention leather!
sam darls - Tara in leather…definite yummyness
RaVeN - Who knows? Maybe her trying will be rewarded! How's the keyboard hunt going?
Sharleen - Aw, who am I to refuse three of those bananas? You preyed on my weakness!
lil c - Hehe, as you wish…
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Part 15
Buffy wasn't usually one who paid excessive attention in class, but now, with her thoughts buzzing with the conversation she'd had with Faith the night before, she gave up trying to listen at all to the teacher, and let her thoughts wander to Faith. She didn't know what to do. Faith had told her she loved her, and Buffy wanted to believe it, but there was a part of her that was warning her that Faith wasn't to be trusted. The memory of when she'd found Faith kissing that Spike guy came into her mind, and she fought to keep from screaming in anger. Why would Faith hurt her like that if she loved her?
"Buffy?" Willow's voice made her jump, and she turned to see her friend staring at her in concern. "You okay?"
"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm fine. I was just thinking."
"Must have been some pretty deep thoughts," Willow said, starting to grin. "The bell went two minutes ago."
Buffy looked around her and saw that the classroom was empty. She smiled sheepishly. "Oops."
"So, what were you thinking about? Or, should I say, who were you thinking about?" Willow asked, although the tone in her voice told Buffy she already knew.
"Faith told me she loved me," Buffy said as she stood up. She kept her eyes down, but she knew that Willow was probably sporting her shocked face.
Instead of coming out with some comment about how Faith was no good, like Buffy had expected, Willow asked, "And?"
"And what?" Buffy frowned. "That was it. She told me she loved me, and then she ran off."
Willow raised her eyebrows. "She ran off?"
"Yep," Buffy sighed, "which isn't exactly comforting. I mean, why would she run off?"
Willow shrugged. "Well, Faith isn't the sort of person to do things traditionally."
"I know, but it just makes things so much more - Tara!"
"Tara? It makes things more Tara?" Willow frowned and then looked behind her at where Tara was standing. "Tara!"
"Hi, Willow," Tara giggled at the redhead. Willow smiled back. Tara was so cute when she giggled. Well, she was cute anyway, but especially cute when she giggled. "Hi, Buffy."
"Hey," Buffy smiled. "Well, I'm going to go find Xander and Anya, and leave you two to…talk," she winked at Willow and then left.
"So, you two were talking about Faith?" Tara guessed. At Willow's nod, she continued. "She's sorry, you know. About what she did to Buffy, with that guy. She's sorry."
Willow frowned. She wasn't sure what she felt about Tara hanging out with Faith. It was bad enough that Faith had taken her best friend away from her, but now it seemed she was moving in on the girl she had a crush on. Great.
"You've been, uh, hanging out with Faith a lot, huh?” Willow said, hoping there wasn’t any jealousy in her voice.
Tara nodded. “She’s not as bad as you all think.”
Willow silently cursed herself for being this way. She couldn’t help feeling envious. Faith breezes into town, breaks Buffy’s heart, but then in the end somehow manages to end up great. It wasn’t fair. First Buffy, and now Tara. Why did she always loose people to Faith?
And then, suddenly qualifying for the worst timing ever award, Faith’s voice rang out; “Yo, Tara!” and then the brunette walked up behind Tara and put her arms around her, her head resting on the blondes shoulder. She grinned up at Willow, as though knowing how much her actions were annoying the redhead.
“Hey, Red.”
Willow worked to remain pleasant. “Hi, Faith. Don’t you have to talk to Buffy?” she asked pointedly, hoping for once Faith would take a hint and leave so that she could have some alone time with Tara.
“Nah,” Faith shrugged, releasing Tara, who had remained silent. “I can talk to B later, right now though, I gotta talk to Tara.” Faith smirked smugly and pulled Tara away from Willow to talk without being overheard.
“Faith, what are you doing?” Tara hissed, glancing sideways back at Willow, who was looking forlorn. Tara had the urge to go and give her a hug, but resisted and looked back at Faith.
“I’m proving to you that Red really has the hots for you – look how jealous she was when I came and interrupted your quiet time. She wants you aalllll to herself,” the brunette snickered.
“You think so?”
“I know so,” Faith confirmed with a nod. “Now, I’m gonna leave you two alone, but you’re gonna come round my house tonight to get ready, right?”
Tara nodded, but then frowned suddenly. “Do I have to wear the leather pants?” she whined.
Faith looked affronted. “Of course! I can’t wait for Red to go into babble overload when she sees you! Man, she’s gonna totally loose it!”
“But will your pants even fit me?” Tara asked dubiously.
“Sure,” Faith said. “I wear mine a couple of sizes too small anyway, I’m sure you’ll find something, so don’t try to escape it! You have to wear them if I have to dress you myself. Actually, I like that idea a lot better…”
“Faith!” Tara blushed and swatted at her friend.
Faith looked over at Willow. “I think Red’s getting lonely, maybe you should go cheer her up,” and with that, she left. Tara shook her head after the brunette. Who would expect that Faith would start matchmaking? Taking a deep breath, Tara went back over to Willow, who brightened up considerably now that she saw that Tara had returned.
“Sorry about that,” Tara apologised. “Faith is, um, helping me with a…project of mine.”
“It’s okay!” Willow smiled, making Tara’s heart do that weird skippety thing it did when she was around the redhead. “So, um, this project. Is it important?”
“Very,” Tara answered solemnly.
Yes, she thought, a very important Operation Willow. “I really want to pass.”
“There you are!” Anya’s loud voice shouted, making them both jump. Willow sighed. Why did people have to keep interrupting them? “Willow, I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
Willow was slightly surprised. “You have?”
“Yup,” Anya nodded. “I have my computer class next lesson, but I haven’t done the homework. You’re a computer whiz, can you help me? I’d be willing to exchange money for your help.”
Willow smiled. “That wont be necessary, Anya. Sure, I’ll help.”
“I’ll leave you two to it,” Tara said. “I’m not so up on the whole computer thing. I think I’ll go find Buffy and Xander.”
“There in the cafeteria, at the back. Xander’s trying to see how much jello he can fit into his mouth in one go,” Anya told her brightly. “He’s very skilled.”
Tara grinned. “I guess I’ll go join the fun,” she said, and told Anya and Willow she’d see them later before heading off in search of the others.
Willow watched Tara go with a feeling of sadness, but then settled down to help with Anya’s homework.
Anya listened half-heartedly and nodded as Willow explained the gist of the homework, even though she thought it would be better if Willow just told her the answers. Anya grinned to herself. She’d caught Willow staring wistfully after Tara. The girl had it bad.
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TBC...
~Jenn
by sam darls » Mon Aug 09, 2004 1:30 pm 
. Love sam xx 
and Willows look will be WOW 
